Freed hostage Joshua Boyle arrested for sexual assault

A Canadian man who was held hostage by Taliban-linked militants for more than five years has been arrested and is facing a number of serious charges.

Joshua Boyle, 34, was rescued late last year in Pakistan, along with his American wife Caitlan Coleman and their three children, all of whom were born during the time Boyle and Coleman were held captive.

Police in Ottawa have laid 15 charges against Boyle, including two counts of sexual assault, eight counts of assault, two counts of unlawful confinement and one count of uttering death threats.

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Boyle has also been charged with causing someone to “take a noxious thing, namely Trazodone” (an anti-depressant), and one count of misleading police.

In a statement to the Toronto Star, Coleman said: “I can’t speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this”.

Boyle’s lawyer, Eric Granger, told the BBC that Boyle has “never been in trouble before”, and that they would be defending him against the charges.

Canadian authorities have issued two publication bans surrounding the case, including one that prohibits disclosing “information that would identify potential victims or witnesses”, according to CNN.

Boyle is due to appear in court this morning, local time.